Forsyth County considers banning constrictor snakes

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.– Forsyth County’s Animal Control Advisory Board is asking county commissioners to consider a ban on all types of constrictor snakes calling the animals dangerous and costly to rescue and relocate.

The advisory board is recommending an amendment to the county’s exotic animal ordinances which already ban the ownership of many other animals like large cats, wolves, or venomous snakes.

Tim Jennings with Forsyth County Animal Control says, “It’s a public safety issue and we believe they should be regulated like other animals.”

Jennings says the county animal shelter can not house the animals and sending them to outside agencies for safe keeping is costly.

Chad Griffin owns C.C.S.B. Reptile Rescue and Rehabilitation in Winston-Salem and says he agrees there needs to be more regulations on the animals and their owners, but he is not sure a ban is necessary.

“If people want to be able to own these animals that’s absolutely fine, I’m ok with that, but they have to be held accountable,” says Griffin.

Griffin says often times people buy the snakes because they seem like cool pets but over time they become too large and the average person can’t handle it and doesn’t know what to do with them so they become dangerous.

“They can be very dangerous and especially in the hands of the wrong people,” says Griffin.

Griffin would like to see the a required registration and micro chipping of the snakes so owners can be identified and held accountable if they escape or are let loose.

Forsyth County Commissioners have been briefed on the proposal and will consider it later this year.